Ventilating system



Oct. 22, 1.929. w. E. WATT VENTILATING' SYSTEM Filed Feb. 26. 1926 Patented Get. 22, 1929 WILLIAM WATT, OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS VENTILATING- SYSTEM Application filed February 26, 1926. Serial No. 90,765.

This invention relates to ventilating systems and mechanism thereof, and the principal object of the invention is the provision of new and improved means for supplying fresh air to buildings and removing the foul air therefrom without the aid of fans or other devices for artificially circulating the air.

Another object of the invention is the provision of new and improved means for utilizing an air conduit either for admitting fresh air to the building or for providing for the escape of foul air therefrom, depending on the direction of the wind.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved ventilating system thatwill supply fresh air to a building with a minimum amount of inconvenience to the occupants of the building, and that is so constructed that the air that escapes is the 2 foulest in the room.

' A still further object of the invention is the provision of a ventilating system and mechanism therefor that is simple in construction, easily assembled and installed, cheap to manufacture, efficient in operation, and that is not likely to become damaged or get out of order.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a building showing one form of the invention in position therein; v

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of a portion of a wall of a building, showing the air chamber and vertical and auxiliary conduits in section;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of a portion of one of the auxiliary conduits showing a valve in position therein;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section of a portion of an auxiliary conduit showing one of the ports; 7

Fig. 5 is a vertical section of a portion of a building showing a modified form of the ventilating system in position therein;

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing a further modified form of ventilating system;

Fig. 7 is a vertical section of a portion of a building through one of the windows and showing a still further modifiedform of ventilator in position therein; and

Fig. 8 is a front elevation thereof.

On the drawing the reference character 4 designates a building in which one embodiment of the invention is installed. .For the purpose of illustration, the building is shown as comprising three stories 5, 6 and 7, each divided into a number of rooms having ceilings or top walls 8, 9 and 10 respectively, as is usual in such constructions. Each room may, if desired, be provided with a ventilating system comprising a two-way duct for supplying fresh air to the building and for removing the foul air therefrom. As shown, the system comprises a main conduit 11 secured in the wall 12 of the building, preferably on the side from which the prevailing winds blow, and also one in the opposite wall 13. A pair of these conduits is employed for each tier of rooms. The conduits 11 may be formed in the wall during their construction or they may be provided as a separate or additional construction. In any event, they extend vertically and their upper ends are in communication with the outside atmosphere. Since these conduits are alike only one need be described.

As shown in Fig. 2, an opening is made in 80 the wall and a chamber 14 is provided therein. The chamber 14 is provided on its outer side with louvers for permitting the entrance of air into said chamber and for preventing the I entrance of rain, snow, and the like. The chamber 14 is in communication with a passage 11in the wall which extends downwardly in said wall to a point immediately below the ceiling of the lowermost room. Preferably, though not necessarily, there are a pair of these conduits for each vertical tier of rooms arranged one in one side wall of the building and the other in the opposite side wall thereof.

In order to deliver fresh air to the room or remove foul air therefrom, laterally eX- 95 tending branch or auxiliary conduits leading from the main conduit are provided.

As shown, in Figs. 1 and 2 these auxiliary conduits 15, 16 and 17 extend from one side of the building'4 to the other adjacent to 100 the ceilings 8, 9 and 10 respectively, and have their ends in communication with the vertical conduits 11 in the Walls 12. Each of the conduits 15, 16 and 17 is provided in each room with one or more openings or ports 18 through which air may pass into or out of the rooms from the conduits ll or into the same. I

Since theinteriors of buildings requiring 0 ventilation are usuallv warmer than the outside air, as infactories, *foundlties.-.and-.in.,all dwellings, stores and the like in cool weather. the outside air Will be heavier and will flow down the conduits 11 and out through the auxiliary conduits into the rooms. The aux- ,iliat'r ed t r pre erablyia rane jaoent to the ceilings of. the rooms and the portsl8 are preferably .on the upper side of the auxiliary eonduits. These ports may be ..zo. ndv.ptefera ly ar pe ng f e i the eu iilia ysea i 'l" he cross-sectional area of the conduitsll at their upperends are each equal to the combined cross-sectional area of the auxiliary conduits,and decreases downwardly so that at anypoint in the conduit the cross-sectional area tfhereofwill be equalto the combined erosssect'ional area of the auxiliarv conduits b lowttha poinw e r y d ated i g- ;0 n thelee sideof the building or theside opposite which the wind is blowing, there is usually more or less suction, and this will tendfto cause a reverse current to flow out- 5 .WarJd from thebuilding through said. 0011- duits. Sincethe foulest air is usu ally warm .eirfitris a d y loc i h nti ator Q0 duits adjacent to the ceiling this'foul air readlyescapesthrough the conduits to theeX 4o 3 11 0 Q t l n jlt'has been found by experiment thatthe movement of the air through the ventilatine'z eanduit .a' tern te fi s o w y, t n th other. At one time the fresh air may be en- A5 tering, and at anothertime the foul air be (lieavi'ligthe; building hreugh that sameicon- Where the ,auxi-liarv conduits extend entirely across the building as shown 'in-Fig. 1, th me ia- "m y W providedwith gates or,valve's 21, seefliig. 8,

Whichareadapted to; beclosed so asto divide each conduit jinto tw.0 independent passages Wherebyfresh air may enter at one end while 7 511 lhfi i discharged ;at the,other, or fresh a'ir nay be; entering from both endssimul- .taneoi s yiand vice versa- .4 1 th epera ion o h -d ice m y enter oneonboth of the main conduits and 0 from therepassinto the rooms through the auxiliary conduits, or the heated air in the rooms may be .conducted through a the auxiliaryand main conduits into the atmosphere. ,Inreality, the auxiliary and main conduits 5 may belconsidered two-way ducts for rekuoivnthat theveloeity of the wind may vary .ever ,donot extend entirely across the'build- ,ing, and their ends are left open wherebyair ,dui'ts. Inthis event, the auxiliary. conduits "23 are concealedin or formed inthe, ceilings and preferably are,

moving foul air and for supplying fresh air to the building. Under certain conditions, as in perfectly calm Weather, a stream of fresh air may be entering while one of heated or foul air may be leaving the room through the auxiliary conduit if the same be of fairly good size. On Windy days the air may be flowing first .one Way and then the other in the conduits due to the fluctuations of the wind. 'For instance, on windy days, it is from zero to its maximum velocity at that time,and-consequently at the instant ofmaxi mum velocity air may be entering the building on the windward side due to the pressure exerted bv the moyingmass, and when it drops to its minimum pressure air inthe building will. escapethrough the conduits therebyumaterially changingthe a'ir'in the building.

In Big. 5 is showna slightly'difierent system. In this construction, the main conduits 11 are substantiallythe same asthQSfl/just described. The auxiliary conduits 22'howmay enter or be discharged therethrough.

In order not to detractffromtheappear- ,ance of theroom it is often desirableto conceal the ,au xi'liary as Well as themain eonof the building. The discharge openings 01' ports 24.- are on the lower sides OftllQPlPGS and are preferably providedwithpa suitable grating for partially-concealing the same. :By means ,of' this arrangement objectionable drafts are; eliminated While fresh ,air sis-being .suppliedito the room.

;In Figs..7and 8 is shown a modified form .Qf construction, in which the system is in the form of an attachment that maybe applied to the ordinary Window. As shown, a';chamber 26 is. secured on the nside ofthe Window 27 adjacent. tothe top thereof. ITheehamber 26 extends entirely across the indow and has its outer Sid {open Q1 provided with louvers 28 for admitting air. The upper sash 29 of the window is adapted to form ,a closure for the chamber 26. other words, by'low-- .ering;th e .sash 29 illQ-SiZBcOf the opening e ng.torthee m eh26 may b regulated- One or more ventilating conduits 31 aresecured to; the chamb rfifi a s exte d in ar y therefrom adjacent vto \the' ceiling 332. The

2.1 conduit 31 is provided with one orlmoreports -oropenings 83 throughwhich airzpasses' into and out of the room. By makingthe conduit 31 fairly large the same will act as a two-way duct 'for supplying fresh air-to the'roorn and for removing the foul air therefrom.

,If desired a valve 35 maybe placed ineach conduit 31 for controllingthe: passage ofair therethrough, Wherebyihe indow sashmay remain in lowered position or the panes opposite the chamber removed.

In some cases, instead of attaching the chamber 26 to the upper portion of a window frame and using the Window sash as a valve, the chamber may be attached over any opening through the wall, the passage of air through the conduit or conduits 31 being controlled by the valve 35.

It is thought from the foregoing taken in connection with the accompanying drawings that the construction and operation of my device will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and that various changes in size, shape, proportion and details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a ventilating system for buildings having a plurality of stories, said system comprising a vertical passage having its cross-sectional area reduced at each story in its descent, a comparative] large conduit extending laterally from said passage at each story, the cross-sectional area of the upper end portion of said passage being as great as the combined cross-sectional area of said conduits.

2. In a ventilating system for a multistory building, a vertical passage in one of the walls of said building, said passage being provided with a port adjacent its upper end for the passage of air from the atmosphere into and from said passage, conduit-s extending laterally from said passage and having ports adjacent the ceilings of the rooms of each story for discharging air delivered thereto by gravity from said passage into said rooms, and for removing the heated vitiated air from the upper portion of each room. 7

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM E. WATT. 

